Conveying apparatus



FtbflS,r 1944. I A'r DE SINDEN' Re. 22,437

I CONVEYING APPARATUS Original -Fled Aug.'l2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet lFell?.A 15, 1944. i A DE slNDEN Re. 22,437 CONVEYING APPARATUS OriginalFiled Aug. 12, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lavado@ WW1 un 15W Reissued Feb.15, 1944 CONVEYING APPARATUS Alfred Delos Sinden, Aurora, Ill., assignorto Redler Conveyor Company, Quincy, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Original No.

2,280,166, dated April 21, 1942, Serial August 12, 1939. Application forreissue October 27, 1942, Serial No. 463,516

13 Claims.

This invention relates to conveying apparatus for conveying owable solidmaterial.

In general, the invention has for one of its objects to provide a noveland improved conveying apparatus which is particularly useful ineffecting the discharge of non-free flowing solid materials from a binor other chamber containing a bulk supply thereof in a manner such as toinsure uniformity and continuity in the now of the material to a secondconveyer or other instrumentality.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide anovel and improved conveying apparatus of the type illustrated in andforming the subject matter of the United States patent to Fasmer No.2,146,061, issued February 7, 1939, and by which the above-mentionednonfree flowing solid materials or those solid materials which have atendency to bridge may be successfully handled.

With these general objects in View and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the conveying apparatus and in thevarious structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed and particularly defined in the claims at the end of thisspecification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention,Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of the present conveying appara--tus; Fig. 2 is a sectional detail taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; andFig. 3 is a plan with portions broken away of the conveying apparatusshown in Fig. 1.

For many industrial purposes it is desirable to convey various finelydivided solid materials from a bulk supply thereof and to deliver astream of the materials in a substantially uniform manner to anotherinstrumentality such as another conveyer or another machine. In theUnited States patent to Fasmer, No. 2,146,061, a conveying apparatus ofthe circular type is disclosed by which material is fed by an openflight l type of conveyer through a circular trough from an inlet to anoutlet, and when the discharge is closed the open flight type ofconveyer enables a recirculation of the material to be effected throughthe trough and the apparatus to be continuously operated. The materialdischarged from the conveying apparatus flows in a substantially uniformstream and apparatus vof this character finds many industrial uses tofeed various finely divided solid materials to other machines and otherconveyors and the like.

. In general the present conveying apparatus embodies a trough,preferably circular in shape and having a series of spaced open flightsdisposed therein and arranged tobe drawn therethrough. In itspreferred-form the apparatus contemplates a circular trough and theprovision of a rotatable member to which the flights are rigidly securedto rotate therewith, and provision is made for rotating the member toeffect the conveyance of owable solid material introduced into thetrough preferably by gravity from a supply reservoir disposedimmediately above the trough. In order to enable the apparatus to mostsuccessfully handle materials of thetype commonly referred to asnon-freely flowing materials and those materials which have a tendencyto bridge, the supply reservoir may and preferably will be provided withan agitating device comprising preferably a conical member arranged tob-e rotated preferably independently of and at a much slower rate thanthe conveying flights. The conical member-is preferably arrangedto-cooperate with the walls of the supply reservoir to deect andguidethe material within the reservoir as it falls by gravity into thetrough, and in some instances the conical member may and preferably willbe provided with vanes arrangedfto-assist in the downward movement ofthe material into the trough. The -cooperative actio'nof the slowlyrotating conical member and the stationary walls of the reservoir serveto overcome any tendency 0fA the material to bridgev over the mouth ofthe trough and to thereby insure continuous supply of the material intothe trough.

Although in the preferred form of the invention, as illustrated herein,the conical member is shown as being rotatable, it will be obvious thatthe same effect may be produced by any relative rotation between theWalls of the supply reservoir and the conical member.

Referring now to the drawings, lil represents a circular trough orcasing which may and preferably will-be provided with an extendedcylindrical side wall I4 forming a reservoir l5 for the material abovethe troughand in direct communication therewith. As herein shown, thereservoirmay be provided with a cover i6 having an inlet i8 throughwhich material may be delivered from the source of supply. In someinstances, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the side walls Mmay be extended to communicate directly with a storage loin 20 or othersource of supply.

As herein shown, the circular trough l0 is provided with a conveyingelement comprising a.

plurality of U-shaped open flights 22 rotatable through the casing toeffect the conveyance f the material in a substantially uniform streamtobe discharged through an outlet 24 provided in the bottom of thecasing l0. The discharge outlet may be connected to a second machinesuch as a conveyer, not shown, for example to the supply hopper of aweighing machine, such uses being merely illustrative of one of the manyindustrial uses to which the present conveyer may be put.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, provision is made forrotating the conveying element through the circular casing ID and, theopen flight members 22 are welded or otherwise secured to the peripheryof a rotary disk 26. 'I'he rotary disk 26 is attached to a flanged hub28 keyed to a vertical sleeve 30. The trough l0 is mounted upon asupporting bracket 32 having a centrally disposed hub 38 in which thesleeve 30 `is rotatably mounted. 'I'he hub 38 is provided with a bushing34 having a flanged portion 36 against which a collar 3T fast on thesleeve 30 is arranged to bear in order to support the sleeve and theconveying element in its vertically disposed position with relation tothe trough l0. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the ights 22 are arranged tosweep the bottom and side Walls of the trough to convey the material ina continuous stream therethrough. Provision is made for rotating thesleeve 3D from any convenient source of power through connectionsincluding a driven pulley 4S fast on a horizontal shaft 42, a bevelpinion 44, and a bevel gear 46, the latter being keyed. to the lower endof the sleeve 30.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made forpreventing arching of the material over the mouth of the trough tothereby insure a continuous vsupply 'thereto to the end that theconveyer may deliver a constant and substantially uniform stream ofmaterial. For this purpose, a conical member 48 is provided lWithin thereservoir l5 vand is preferably arranged to be rotated with respect tothe cylindrical side wall I4 of the reservoir. The conical member 4B issupported upon a vertical shaft 50 mounted `to rotate in suitablebearings 52 provided in the centrally disposed 'sleeve 30 and the upperend of the conical member is secured to a flanged member 54 attached tothe upper end of the vertical shaft 50 `and the lower end of the conicalmember is provided with a reenforcing disk 5S secured to a flangedmember 58, the latter being keyed to the Vvertical shaft 50. The

lower end of the shaft 5B is supported by a thrust bearing 60 mountedupon an I-beam B2 forming part of the supporting structure for theconveyer.

Provision is made for rotating the conical member from any convenientsource of `power through connections including a driven pulley 64 faston a horizontal shaft 68, and ya bevel pinion 68 which meshes-with abevel gear I0 fast on a shouldered portion vof the vertical shaft and.as illustrated, the end of lthe hub of the bevel gear forms a bearingsurface against the thrust `bearing E!) to support the weight of theshaft and the conical member in its vertical position.

From the Adescription thus far, it will be observed that any tendency ofthe material to bridge across the mouth ofthe `trough will be overcomeby the relative rotation of the conical member 43 within the reservoirand the cylindrical wall I4 thereof. In practice, the conical member maybe rotated in either direction, and as rherein shown, may preferably lberotated in the same' direction as the conveying element and preferablyat a relatively slow speed.

As above stated, the rotary conical member 43 may be provided with vanes'l2 secured to the outer surface thereof in order to assist in looseningthe material and to permit it to fall freely by gravity into the troughIll. The vanes may start at the apex of the cone and will preferably beslanted backwardly from the direction of travel of the cone as clearlyshown in Fig. 3.

Provision is made in the illustrated embodi ment of the invention forpreventing the material in the reservoir I5 from falling directlythrough the discharge opening 24 to the end that a uniform volumetricdischarge may be maintained. As herein shown, see Fig. 2, a plate orhood 'i4 may be provided within the reservoir above the trough l0 at thepoint of discharge 24. Thus, the pressure of the head of material abovethe discharge outlet is taken by the plate thereby preventing packing ofthe material in the discharge outlet.

From the above description it will be observed that the present feedingapparatus is simple in 25 construction and positive in operation, and isparticularly useful in those commercial installations where it isdesirable to effect and control the withdrawal of material from astorage bin or other source of supply. An important advantage resultingfrom the skeleton or open structure of the conveyer member resides inits ability to convey the material through the trough in a continuousuniform stream and the above described agitating device serves to guidethe material into the trough and to prevent the material from archingover the mouth thereof to the end that a uniform `level of material ismaintained in the trough at all times.

While the preferred embodiment of the invenr40. tion has been hereinillustrated and described, it

will be understood that the invention may beembodied in other formswithin the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described `claimed is:

1. Conveying apparatus comprising a circular trough having a dischargeoutlet, an open flight conveying element disposed in the trough, meansfor moving the conveying element at a relatively rapid rate through thetrough, a reservoir above the trough from which material may fall intothe trough through the mouth thereof, and relatively slowly rotatingmeans separate from and capable of independent rotation with respect tosaid conveying element disposed adjacent the mouth of said trough forpreventing material in the reservoir from arching over the mouth of thetrough.

2. Conveying apparatus comprising a circular trough having an dischargeoutlet, an open flight conveying element disposed in and traversablethrough the trough. a reservoir above the trough from which material mayfall into the trough, a rotatable conical member within the reservoirhaving the periphery of its base adjacent `the trough, and 'means forrotating said conical member at a relatively slower rate than thetraversal of said conveying element through said trough, said rotatableconical member lbeing adapted to deflect the material in the reservoirinto the 'trough and to prevent the material vfrom arching over themouth of the trough.

3. Conveying apparatus comprising a circular trough having a dischargeoutlet, an open night conveying element disposed in and traversablethrough the trough, a reservoir above the'trough the inventionn, what ishaving a cylindrical outer wall 'and from which material may fall intothe trough, a conical member within the reservoir, and means forrelatively rotating said conical member with relation to the cylindricalwall of said reservoir at a relatively slower rate than the traversal ofsaid conveying element through said trough, whereby to prevent thematerial from arching over the mouth of the trough.

4. Conveying apparatus comprising a circular trough having a dischargeoutlet, an open flight conveying element disposed in and traversablethrough the trough, a reservoir above the trough from which material mayfall into the trough, a rotatable conical member occupying a substantialportion of the space within the reservoir said conical member beingseparate from and mounted. for rotation with respect to said conveyingelement, and means for rotating said conical member, said rotatableconical member being adapted to prevent the material from arching overthe mouth of the trough and being provided with vanes for assisting indelecting the material in the reservoir into the trough.

Conveying apparatus comprising a circular trough having a dischargeoutlet, an open night conveying element disposed in and traversablethrough the trough, a reservoir above the trough from which material mayfall into the trough, a rotatable conical member occupying a substantialportion of the space within the reservoir for deilecting material intothe trough and for preventing material from arching over the mouth ofthe trough, said conical member being separate from and mounted forrotation with respect to said conveying element, and a plate disposedwithin the reservoir above the trough at the point of said dischargeoutlet for preventing direct passage of material from said reservoirinto said discharge outlet.

6. Conveying apparatus comprising a trough having a mouth for theentrance of material therein and a discharge outlet, an endless openilight conveying element disposed in and traversable through the trough,a reservoir above the trough, a delecting and agitating member withrinthe reservoir, means for moving the conveying element through the troughat a relatively rapid rate, and means for relatively moving thedeilecting member with relation to the wall of the reservoir at arelatively slower rate whereby to prevent the material from arching overthe mouth of the trough.

7. Conveying apparatus comprising a circular trough having a dischargeoutlet, an open flight conveying element disposed in and traversablethrough the trough, a reservoir above the trough from which material mayfall into the trough, and a rotatable conical member separate from andmounted for rotation with respect to said conveying element occupying asubstantial portion of the space within the reservoir and being arrangedto deflect material in the reservoir into the trough and prevent thematerial from arching over the mouth of the trough.

8. Conveying apparatus comprising a cylindrical trough dened byconcentric, spaced, parallel upright walls providing an open mouth atthe upper end of said trough to receive the material to be conveyed andhaving a bottom wall extending between the lower ends of said concentricwalls provided with a gravity discharge outlet, a conveying elementincluding a plurality of spaced ilights disposed in the trough, saidflights having a radial length substantially equal to the radial widthof said trough, means for moving the conveying element through thetrough, a cylindrical reservoir above the trough vertically aligned withthe outer-most wall of said trough and from which material may fall bygravity into the trough through the mouth thereof, and agitating meansformed separately from said conveying element positioned within saidreservoir and disposed adjacent the mouth of said trough, and above saidconveying element, for preventing material in the reservoir from archingover the mouth of the trough.

9. Conveying apparatus comprising a cylindrical trough having side wallswith an open mouth at the upper end thereof to receive the material tobe conveyed and having a bottom Wall provided with a gravity dischargeoutlet disposed between said side walls, a conveying element including aplurality of spaced ilights disposed in and traversable through thetrough, a reservoir above the trough from which material may fall intothe trough, said flights having a radial length substantially equal tothe radial width of said trough, a rotatable conical member within thereservoir having the periphery of its base at the o-pen mouth of saidtrough, and means for rotating said conical member, said rotatableconical member being adapted to deilect the material in the reservoirinto the trough and to prevent the material from arching over the mouthof the trough.

10. Conveying apparatus comprising an annular shaped trough having anopen mouth at its upper end to receive the material to be conveyed andhaving a bottom provided with a gravity discharge outlet, a conveyingelement comprising a plurality of spaced substantially radial iiightsdisposed in the trough, means for moving the conveying element relativeto said trough, a reservoir above the trough from which material mayfall into the trough through the mouth thereof, and movable generallycone-shaped means separate from said conveying element disposed withinsaid reservoir above the trough and conveying element for deflectingmaterial into the mouth of the trough.

11. Conveying apparatus comprising a cylindrical trough having sidewalls with an open mouth at the upper end thereof to receive thematerial to be conveyed and having a bottom wall provided with a gravitydischarge outlet disposed between said side walls, a conveying elementincluding a plurality of spaced flights disposed in said trough, meansfor moving the conveying element through said trough, a reservoir abovesaid trough from which material may fall by gravity into said troughthrough the open mouth thereof, means within said reservoir arranged todeflect the material into said trough and to prevent material in thereservoir from arching over the mouth of said trough, and a hood withinsaid reservoir directly above said trough at the point of said dischargeoutlet for preventing direct passage of the material by gravity fromsaid reservoir into said discharge outlet.

12. Conveying apparatus comprising an annular shaped trough having sidewalls with an open mouth at the upper end thereof to receive thematerial to be conveyed and having a bottom wall provided with a gravitydischarge outlet between said side walls, a conveying element comprisinga plurality of spaced substantially radial flights disposed in saidannular trough, means for moving the conveying element relative to saidannular tr'cughfy ar reservoir above said? annular trough' `frcm which`material may fallinto said annular trough through. the open mouththereof, agitating: meanswithin said* reservoir including aypor-tiondisposed adjacent the open mouth of said annular-trough forpreventing material in tliereservoir froml archingr over'the mouthl ofsaidf annular trough, and plate means within ysaid-reservoir directlyabove said annular trough at thelpoint of said discharge outlet forpreventing direct passage -of the material by gravity from saidreservoir intel-said discharge outlet.

13. Conveyingv apparatus comprising a cylindricaltrough having sideWalls with an open mouth at the upper'end ,thereof to receive thematerial to be `conveyed and having a bottom wally provided withafgravity-:discharge outlet between said side Walls,I a conveyingelement including a plurality offspaced flights disposed inr andtraversable through said Ltrough, a' reservoir abovesaid trough fromwhich material may fall by gravity into said trough, a rotatable conicalmember within said reservoir having the vperiphery of its base adjacentthe open mouth of said-trough, means for moving said conveying elementand rotating said conical member, said rotatable conical member beingadapted to deflect the material in said reservoir into said trough andto prevent the material from arching over the mouth of said trough, anda hood Within said'lreservoir directly abovevsaid troughl at the pointofsaid discharge outlet for preventing direct passage of the materialfrom said reservoir into said discharge outlet.

ALFRED Dams -SINDEN

